Local News Now

New evacuation orders issued in the Cariboo

The Cariboo Regional District is dealing with some new aggressive wildfires prompting some new evacuation orders.

The CRD’s Information Officer Tim Conrad says the Whitton Lake fire on the district’s western boundary is growing quickly after being spotted today.

Conrad says on the other side of the district the Gotchen Lake wildfire is estimated at 65 hectares.

Evacuation orders have been issued for six properties in one case and a single property in the other.

“Two separate orders this morning, one for the Whitton Lake area, and one for the Gotchen Lake area. These are in fairly remote areas. The one, Whitton Lake, is being evacuated by helicopter. The other one with Gotchen Lake we were in contact with the owner of that property and they already evacuated yesterday.”

Conrad says some rain is in the forecast is welcome but he notes it will also come with strong winds, which is a concern.